


Party For Your Life

by LaLainaJ



Series: Make Some Noise [30]
Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Human, Blow Jobs, Denial of Feelings, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Halloween, Outdoor Sex, Rival Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-31
Updated: 2015-10-31
Packaged: 2018-04-29 14:49:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5131610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaLainaJ/pseuds/LaLainaJ
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As President of her sorority Caroline's been planning on throwing THE BEST Halloween party her campus has ever seen, since she was just a pledge. When she sees a poster, advertising a party the same night, thrown by a rival frat, she's very upset. She storms their house, intending to give their President, Klaus Mikaelson (eternal thorn in her side) a piece of her mind. Things escalate, the week leading up to the party. Maybe, just maybe, they can come to a new understanding.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Party For Your Life

**Party For Your Life**

**(Prompt from goldcaught:** **kc + caroline and klaus as presidents of rival sorority/fraternity's & end up throwing competing extravagant halloween parties leading up to the main event and oops they kind of keep having sex at all of them? Title from the Down With Webster song. Smut.)**

_**T Minus 8 Days** _

When Caroline first sees the poster, she  _is not_  in a good mood. So maybe that's why she goes a little postal.

She'd just met up with her project group (assigned – which was entirely cruel and unusual, at this stage of her college career) and they'd passed around the preliminary research they'd compiled. One person's work was good, another's decent, the third's abysmal and Caroline's going to need to stay up late to fix it.

Because it's not like she has anything better to do. Like go to the SAE party and flirt a little with that cute guy she's been eyeing in her Stats lab.

She's walking quickly, wanting to get home when a flash or orange paper posted to a bulletin board catches her eye. She pauses, studies the picture critically, a sinking feeling in her stomach. It's the Sigma Pi house, drawn to look like a haunted mansion, tiny cartoon ghosts floating along the edges.

And then she reads the text.

Caroline's mood goes from not good to apoplectic, as soon as the words sink into her brain. She rips the poster down, not caring that she's technically defacing school property, before she turns on her heel, and marches in the opposite direction of her sorority.

Halloween was her thing, damn it. She'd been planning this for  _years_. And if Klaus Mikaelson thought he was about to hone in on her territory he had another thing coming.

* * *

Kol opens the door, grins when he sees her, lounges casually against the frame. "Ah, Caroline Forbes, don't you look tasty if not a little bent out of shape. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Caroline takes a deep breath, forces a smile, "Kol. While I am 100% sure that you are by no means innocent here, my issue is with your evil brother. Is he here?"

"Nik's in his office. Asked not to be disturbed. Might I take a message?"

Caroline gives up attempting to be polite, "Move, Kol. Or I'll crush your balls into powder and make you drink them like iced tea."

He straightens, with a smirk, "While internet pornography has taught me that is an act some men may enjoy, I'm afraid I am not one of them. Go on in, darling."

"Thank you," Caroline says, breezing past him. She gets a few calls, and a whistle or two, when she passes the living room, but she ignores that.

There's only one person she plans on yelling at today.

Klaus' office is at the far end of the house, and she's been in it more than once. The last time, just before she'd gone home last summer, might have ended with them having sex on his desk.

But she's definitely not going to think about that right now.

Caroline doesn't bother to knock, just throws open the door and lets it bang against the wall. Klaus barely glances up at her, after he notes her presence, his eyes glued to a MacBook on the desk, "Can I help you, love?"

She walks over to the desk, shuts his laptop with a snap, and slaps the flyer over top of it. "Yeah, you can help me. You can explain to me what you think you're doing with this bullshit. Alpha Gamma Delta owns Halloween here. Always has."

Klaus leans back, seemingly unfazed by her ire, "Perhaps I thought it was time to change that. Save people from the same old same old."

"You did not," Caroline utters disbelievingly, tone low and dangerous, "just imply that my parties are boring, did you?"

"Was I being too subtle?" he asks, blinking up at her innocently.

The noise that comes out of her throat is nearly a growl. "It is on, Mikaelson. You're going to be sorry, mark my words."

She whirls, before he can reply, making a hasty exit. Because she's sure that whatever that's about to come out of his ridiculously tempting mouth will be annoying, and she's  _this_  close to leaping across the desk and strangling him.

Or possibly ripping off his clothes. She's taken great pains to avoid him, since getting back to school, and he looks better than ever and certain parts of her are definitely noticing.

Which is crazy, and a clear sign that Caroline needs to make getting laid a priority this week.

Just not with Klaus.

She's moving at a good clip, wanting to get out of the house before she screams, but Kol steps into her path, forcing Caroline to pull up short. She glares, but he is, of course, unperturbed. Must be a family thing. "Leaving so soon?" he drawls, "I'm a bit disappointed in my big brother's lack of stamina."

Caroline makes a disgusted noise, stepping around him and shoving him into a wall. Kol laughs, "Into the rough stuff, then? Good to know."

She flips him off, before stalking out the door.

_**T Minus 7 Days** _

Caroline turns, when her shoulder's tapped, expecting one of her friends, or hopefully an attractive guy, so she can actually work on the whole getting laid thing. She deflates slightly, when she sees who's standing beside her, "Oh, it's you again," she deadpans, "I think I'm going to need something stronger."

Klaus laughs easily, leaning past her, picking up a bottle of vodka and shaking it lightly in question. Caroline nods grudgingly, and holds out her cup.

"You look ravishing tonight, Caroline," Klaus compliments, as he pours, with an appreciative glance down her body.

"Thank you," she replies automatically, swirling the contents of her cup. She sneaks a peek at him, notes the way the thin cotton of his Henley clings to his shoulders.

Why did he have to be so freaking good looking?

Klaus places his hand to his chest, drawing her attention, as he inhales dramatically, "A civil exchange? Between you and I? Is this a sign of the end of times?"

Caroline knocks her shoulder into his, fighting a smile, "And people say I'm a drama queen. Maybe I just have an easier time understanding why girls think you're charming when I have a little booze in me."

"Have you and your little girlfriends been gossiping about me?" Klaus asks, his eyes lighting with interest as he leans into her. "Tell me all about it."

"Not my girlfriends," Caroline denies. "But you dated Greta, who's on my squad. And FYI whatever guy's say in the locker room is nothing compared to what girl's do. She  _really_  talked you up."

Klaus looks thoughtful, "Is that why you did it, then?"

Caroline's jostled, from behind, and half of the contents of her cup go flying, landing on Klaus' shirt. "Fuck. Sorry!" She sets her cup down, spinning in search of paper towels. She grabs a wad, presses them into Klaus hands. "I didn't mean…"

"It's okay, Caroline," he soothes. "Completely not your fault. I should have picked a less crowded location in which to chat you up."

Caroline pauses, at that, mildly confused. Because that almost sounded like Klaus admitting he'd been trying to flirt with her. "Oh. Um, still. I'm sorry," she clenches her fists, to stop the anxious = flapping they'd been doing. "Look, Bonnie's boyfriend lives here. Do you want to come upstairs with me? I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you borrowed a shirt to go home in."

"That would be excellent, actually," Klaus says, peeling the sticky fabric away from his skin.

"Come on," Caroline says, turning and leading him to the staircase.

Klaus follows, close behind her, but stays uncharacteristically quiet, until after they've closed themselves inside of Enzo's room, muffling the sounds of the party below them. "You never answered my question, sweetheart."

Caroline pauses, her hand on the knob of Enzo's closet door, "What question?"

"Was it Greta's glowing recommendation that caused you to kiss me, in my office last year? Because while I am loathe to speak to her again, I might just owe her a thank you."

"Classy, Klaus," Caroline snorts, "I can just imagine how that would go." She lowers her voice, imitating his accent, "'Thanks for telling all the cheerleaders that I can do amazing things with my tongue! It totally got me into Caroline's pants this one time.'"

He's suddenly right behind her, an arm sliding around her waist, "First, that accent was horrid. Second, I would never say 'totally' like that. Third, I'm rather hoping it will be more than just the one time."

Caroline finds herself leaning back into him, even as she says, deliberately flirty, "Never figured you for an optimist, Klaus."

He laughs softly, and she can feel the vibration of it down her back, "I'm not. In the slightest. But I think you want me, Caroline. And I think it's obvious that I want you."

He sweeps her hair to the side, laying soft kisses along the side of her neck. It feels good, his lips are soft and the slight scratch of his stubble leaves goosebumps on her skin. His hand slips under her tank, fingers drawing light patterns on her skin.

She really, really shouldn't be doing this.

But screw it, he's right. She does want him. For some reason the chemicals in her body go crazy for him, and at least she knows the sex will be good.

She pulls away from him, turning and dropping her hands to the hem of his shirt, pulling it off of him and letting it fall to the floor. She runs her hands down his chest, watching as the muscles twitch under her fingertips. She touches his belt, glancing up in time to see his throat bob, notes the tightness in his jaw and the heat in his eyes, "Did you lock the door?" she asks lightly.

Klaus shakes his head, and Caroline pushes him away gently. "Do it. Bonnie will kill me if she finds out I had sex in Enzo's bed."

He rushes to obey, and Caroline pulls down the blankets, "Please tell me you have a condom," she says, kicking off her shoes and sitting down. "I do not  _want_  to go rummaging through drawers."

He digs out his wallet, setting it on the bedside table after he produces a foil packet. He moves to get on the bed, but Caroline stops him, one palm flat on his abdomen. She tugs on his belt, until he's standing between her knees, her skirt pushed high on her thighs.

She looks up at him as she undoes his belt, licks her lips, trying to convey what she's planning. He groans softly, mutters, "Caroline…" his fingers reaching out to thread through her hair.

"Do you want me to?" she asks, slowly undoing his zipper. "Because I want to."

Caroline works his pants down his hips, leans forward to press her lips to his stomach, darting his tongue out to taste his skin, her chin just brushing the bulge in his boxer briefs, "God, yes," Klaus replies, voice hoarse, his pupils blown as he watches her.

She pulls his boxer briefs down, tearing her gaze from his face. She's seen him naked before. But is had been dark, and they'd been rushed, so she'd not been able to get the full affect. She wraps her hand around the base of him, leans down to run her tongue along the underside. She smiles slightly, when he seems to sway on his feet. She swirls her tongue around the head, licking over the tip, before she sucks him into her mouth. A noise comes out of his throat, high pitched and nearly pleading, and his hands tighten in her hair for a moment.

She works her way up and down, sucking hard and hollowing her cheeks when she pulls back, using her hand to stroke what she can't fit in her mouth. She looks up at him, letting out a hum. Klaus curses, his chest rising rapidly, his thigh muscles taut. Caroline lets him fall from her mouth, drops her hand to fondle his balls. He gasps her name, his head falling back, "Is this alright?" Caroline asks innocently, trying not to smirk.

It seems to take a great deal of effort, for him to roll his head forward enough to look at her, his expression incredulous, "It's perfect. Don't stop," he mutters.

"Perfect for you maybe," Caroline tells him, "I could use a little something." She puts her hand on her thigh, trailing it upwards suggestively.

Klaus' eyes widen, the further she pulls her skirt up. It's almost funny, how huge they are, when she shifts to let her skirt settle around her waist. A quick glance down tells her that the damp spot on her light blue panties is visible, but Caroline's beyond being embarrassed. He's practically writhing under her mouth, how can that  _not_  be a turn on?

"Do you want me to touch myself while I suck your cock, Klaus?"

"Holy fuck, Caroline," he breathes. "You're incredible, love."

"I'll take that as a yes," she murmurs impishly, before she tunnels her fingers under her panties, using her other hand to bring his cock back to her mouth.

His eyes are glued to her now, darting between the hand she's rubbing her clit with, and the sight of her mouth, stretched around him.

He tries to tug her off, after a few minutes, saying her name in a strained tone. But Caroline just sucks harder, firming the motions of her hand. Klaus lets out a low moan, almost sounding pained, and then he shudders, coming in her mouth. Caroline swallows quickly, pulling another curse from him, before letting him slip from her lips.

She expects him to collapse onto the bed, spent and lazy now that his need has been satisfied, so she brings her hand down, prepared to take care of herself. But Klaus surprises her, dropping to his knees, his hands urging her to lie back as he peels her panties down her legs. His hands stroke up her inner thighs, pressing them wide, and then he's bending down, sucking her clit into his mouth. Caroline's mouth drops open, a shaky sigh emerging, as her hands reach out to grab at his hair, her hips arching up into his face.

Greta had totally been right about the tongue thing.

_**T Minus 6 Days** _

Klaus slides in next to her at the meeting, seconds before it's called to order, preventing Caroline from being able to find a new seat.

She'd known he'd be here, he couldn't miss it, since it was mandatory for all presidents and vice-presidents of the on campus fraternities and sororities to attend.

But did he have to sit next to her? Caroline was trying very hard to forget last night, and her epic lack of judgement, thank you very much.

It's a struggle to pay attention, not only because this meeting is incredibly boring. It's things she knows, or things she doesn't care about, petty arguments that they always have. Nothing she can really force her mind to focus on, to prevent herself from thinking about the person sitting next to her. She can hear Klaus breathing beside her, feel him brush up against her, every so often, when he shifts.

About halfway through, he slides a piece of paper towards her. It's a doodle, of her glaring at him over her shoulder as she struggles with her bra, her hair a tangled mess of curls around her bare shoulders. Underneath it he's scrawled,  _'Things are back to normal? You loathe me, and there's no danger of pigs flying?'_

Caroline carefully folds the paper, so the drawing can't be seen by anyone who happens to look over.  _'Don't flatter yourself. I don't loathe you. Just think of last night as temporary insanity. I can't believe I forgot that I was mad at you.'_

His reply is quick,  _'What for, this time?'_

' _HALLOWEEN!'_ Caroline scribbles out, tracing over the letters so harshly she's surprised the paper doesn't rip.

Klaus lets out a rueful sigh, and seems to think about his reply, for several moments,  _"Right. About that. You've been very carefully avoiding me. For two months. I had to do something to get your attention.'_

She reads it. Then reads it again, positive she must be missing something, but the words remain the same. She writes quickly,  _'SERIOUSLY?! I've been planning what I wanted to do for this party since I was a freshman. And you really thought trying to steal my thunder was A GOOD IDEA?! Have you met me?'_

Klaus casts her a look that seems almost apologetic, before he bends his head to write.  _'Desperate times. I just wanted you to talk to me, Caroline.'_

' _You picked a stupid way to go about that.'_ She shoves the paper back at him roughly.

His next note is simple,  _'I know.'_

Caroline slides the paper back, without replying, pointedly setting her pen down.

_**T Minus 5 Days** _

Caroline's running, on her favorite trail in the woods, when she feels a presence behind her. One hand goes to turn off the music she'd had pumping through her headphones, the other to her pocket where she keeps the pepper spray her mom's been stuffing in her Christmas stocking every year since she'd hit puberty.

She's yet to have to use it, but a girl can't be too careful.

She relaxes marginally when she recognizes Klaus behind her. And then she remembers that he's currently her least favorite person on the planet.

No, wait. That's not true. The idiot in her Marketing class whose notes she'd spent all night trying to decipher was number one.

Still, that doesn't mean she has any desire to converse with Klaus at the moment. Caroline picks up the pace.

And Klaus mimics her, staying just a few steps behind.

She grits her teeth, glaring over her shoulder, taking a bend that she knows will take her down a rougher, more winding path.

He follows, the jackass, until they're both sprinting.

Caroline gets fed up, her lungs burning, and comes to a stop, in the middle of the trail, sidestepping into the underbrush to prevent Klaus from plowing into her. She puts her hands on her hips, struggling to catch her breath, as he slows and jogs back to her, "What," she demands harshly, "is your problem? Why are you stalking me?"

He's also breathing heavily, and there's a light sheen of sweat on his bare chest. And of course he isn't wearing a shirt. Because clearly someone or something out there hates her, and thinks that testing her self-control on the regular is hilarious.

She will  _not_  ogle him. Caroline  _refuses_.

"I'm sorry, can't a man enjoy a little exercise on a beautiful morning without an interrogation? Last I checked you didn't own the entire area, Caroline."

"There are a bajillion trails in this forest. I could buy that it was a coincidence that you ended up on mine. But I pretty obviously tried to get away and  _you_  followed  _me_."

"Guilty, I'm afraid. I'm afraid that your arse in those pants was just too tempting a sight to resist. Tell me, are you even wearing knickers?"

Caroline's jaw drops, and her hand whips out. She's never slapped any one in her life, as dramatic as she can occasionally be, but she's pretty sure her brain's short circuited in shock.

But Klaus chuckles, low and teasing, catching her wrist well before it reaches him, stepping into her and making her stumble back a few steps, until her back hits a tree. He pins her arm above her head, his other hand resting low on her hip, "Let's not get violent, love. You know you like my face."

Caroline makes a frustrated noise, closing her eyes and leaning her head back on the tree. Klaus' head drops to her shoulder, his mouth sliding over the strap of her sports bra, and up her neck, "Tell me to let you go, Caroline."

She tries to make herself. Really, she does. But between the low voice in her ear, the way he smells, and how amazing he feels, pressed against her, it's just not possible.

She'll chalk this one up to adrenaline. A runner's high. Something.

She brings her thigh up, wraps it around his hip. Klaus lets out a groan, when she grinds herself against his hardening cock, the thin layers of material between them doing little to dull the sensation. "Just don't talk," she orders him, "and touch me."

He grins against her skin, bites down on her collarbone in retribution. Caroline moans, rocking against him, even as she grits out, "If that left a mark I'm going to be pissed."

"Let's see what I can do to change your mind, hmm?" He pulls her sports bra off, after a slight struggle. And then he bends to suck a nipple into his mouth. His hand quickly wanders down her stomach, as his foot nudges her legs further apart.

She's clutching his shoulders, probably leaving marks of her own. Klaus plucks at the waistband of her leggings and her eyes crack open to glare down at him. He's watching her and she shudders, as he scrapes his teeth over the nipple in his mouth. He releases it, blowing a stream of air until it tightens into a tight peak, before standing up and pressing his chest against hers.

His hand slides down, under the tight Lycra, palming her ass and pulling her against him more roughly. She lets out a whimper, quickly strangled as she presses her lips together, and tilts her hips so his thrusts catch her clit.

She uses her grip on him to bring him closer, pressing her mouth to his in hopes that kissing him will stop the embarrassingly needy sounds that want to spill from her lips.

He bites her lip, rubs his tongue against hers, swallowing the moans that spill from her eagerly.

Their motions roughen, hips clashing together frantically, and Caroline tears her mouth away with a groan. "Klaus," she gasps, "I can't…"

He seems to get what she's trying to say, stopping and pushing her leg down, spinning her so her back's resting against his chest. "You can't come like that?" he rasps, into her hair, "good to know."

One of his hands delves down the front of her leggings, two fingers curving up and into her. She lets out a ragged moan, pressing her forehead to the bark, as the heel of his hand rubs her clit, and his free hand kneads her breast. "Better?" he mutters. Caroline nods, even though the answers probably pretty obvious, from the way she's frantically moving against his hand, chasing the orgasm that had been just out of reach before.

He lets out a moan of his own when she reaches behind her, cupping him through his sweatpants. The angle makes her clumsy, but he doesn't seem to mind the lack of finesse, pressing into her hand as she shapes him through the fabric.

She's so close, her mind hazy, but Klaus let's out an, "Oh, shit," that sounds more alarmed than aroused, tearing his hands away from her. He bends to pick up her sports bra, hissing that someone's coming, as he urged her deeper into the cover of the trees.

Caroline stumbles, her legs not quite cooperating, the ache in her core distracting, and Klaus steadies her. They crouch down, behind some thick bushes, and Caroline holds her breath, crossing her fingers that whoever's passing is too focused on their workout to notice anything amiss. Several pairs of feet pound the earth, in a steady pattern, none stilling. After it's silent for a few minutes Caroline lifts her head, peeking over, finding that she and Klaus are once again alone. She flushes, realizing that she's half naked, in the forest, and that minutes ago had been spectacularly close to getting off on Klaus' fingers.

How had she gotten here?

Caroline clears her throat, crossing her arm over her breasts, and holding out a hand, "If you wouldn't mind?" she asks, gesturing to the bra that's still dangling from Klaus' fingertips.

He sighs, and hands it over, running his hand through his disheveled curls, "Caroline, we should talk about this."

"No," she shoots back, "we really shouldn't."

_**T Minus 4 Days** _

Caroline ignores the knock at her door, burrowing her head under her pillow, "Go away!" she calls at whoever wants her attention.

She's so not in the mood for people.

The doorknob rattles, "Caroline, you have five seconds to open this door, or we're coming in," Bonnie yells sternly.

Lifting her head and rolling her eyes, Caroline stared balefully at the door, "And just how are you going to do that?"

"Do you really think I don't know how to pick lock?" Kat asks.

Caroline thinks about it for a moment. She doesn't know exactly when (or why) Kat would've picked up that particular skill, but she doesn't really doubt that her friend might have.

"Ugh, fine," she mutters, in defeat. "You win!" she says more loudly, heaving herself out of bed and unlocking the door. She doesn't bother to open it, retreating to her bed and once again burying herself under mounds of covers.

Several weights settle in next to her, and the blankets are mercilessly yanked down. Only Elena looks at all apologetic. "Sorry, Care. I brought cookies," she offers.

Caroline takes one, because a little oatmeal raisin never made a wallowing session worse, did it?

Kat's silent for as long as it takes her to swallow a bite, before she's bouncing on the bed, jostling Caroline, "Okay, what happened? You've been going full General Caroline on us, plotting to overthrow the Sigma Pi's and now you're hiding in your bedroom like a sad sack loser?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

Kat makes a derisive noise, "Too bad, sweet cheeks. Spill."

Bonnie hands Caroline another cookie, "Talk to us, Caroline. We're worried."

"It's Klaus," Caroline says, after a long pause.

"Yeah, we know. Ruining your life, trying to take over Halloween, blah blah blah."

Bonnie shoots Kat a harsh glare, "What Katherine means, is what did Klaus do now?"

Caroline debates how to answer that, where to even start. She decides to start with the most recent incident, "I saw him when I went running yesterday. Things got a little intense."

"Another fight? Do you want me to beat him up?" Kat asks, perfectly earnest.

"We kind of fought. But we also kind of…"

"You banged Klaus Mikaelson in the woods?!" Kat exclaims. "No way. It's about time, Forbes."

Caroline's surprised to see both Elena and Bonnie nodding in agreement.

"What? Guys, no."

"Yeah, sorry, Care," Bonnie begins, sympathetically, "but it's beyond obvious that you guys are stupid for each other. The girls were running a pool but you've both proved far too stubborn. Final date was last year, so nobody won."

Caroline eyes them in disapproval until they begin to shift uncomfortably. Someone probably did win, given the fact that she and Klaus hooked up last year, but she's going to keep that little nugget to herself. Because putting money on her sex life was  _not_  appropriate sororal behavior.

"But he was so…" she starts.

"Yeah, he was a douche freshman year," Kat interrupts. "Newsflash, Caroline, everyone was terrible then."

"But I'm…"

"Wildly attracted to him?" Bonnie interjects knowingly, "also obvious, from the way you undress him with your eyes."

"He…"

"Is so into you," Elena finishes, "For real. It's almost adorable."

"You guys don't even like him!" Caroline spits out, frustrated.

"So? You do," Kat says.

"Ugh," Caroline grumbles, her mind racing, burying her face under a pillow in defeat. "Please go away. Leave the cookies."

_**T Minus 3 Days** _

"What can I…" Caroline's smile freezes, when she sees Klaus in front of her, her voice petering out.

"Two ciders please. And a pumpkin donut," he requests politely, almost as is she's a stranger.

It sends a strange, uncomfortable feeling through Caroline, making her fumble with the cups.

"Yeah, sure," Caroline stutters, cursing the butterflies that are fluttering furiously in her stomach. And then she curses Bonnie, Elena and Kat, for putting the idea that she might have an actual thing for Klaus, instead of just a lust for his hot body, into her brain.

Because she's never been nervous around him before, and she hates that he might notice that she is now.

But Klaus still seems unusually subdued, merely nodding as he waits for his order, "It's a big crowd," he says neutrally, gesturing to the swarm of people that cover the football stadium's parking lot.

Small talk? They were really going to attempt small talk? So awkward.

"We're doing really well," she answers. "That'll be $7.00"

Klaus hands her a ten, offering her a smile that doesn't reach his eyes, "Keep the change, love. It's for charity, right?"

"Thank you," Caroline replies, flashing him a grateful look and opening her change box. She focuses on tucking the money away, taking a deep breath and gathering her courage, "Hey, Klaus? Can we…"

But when she looks up he's gone, the crowd having swallowed any trace of him. The girl in front of her is looking impatient, so Caroline shakes herself, forces thoughts of Klaus out of her mind. "Sorry, what can I get you?"

_**T Minus 2 Days** _

The annual pumpkin carving contest the college's sororities and fraternities compete in is happening all around Caroline, but her eyes keep flitting over to one particular station. Klaus is there, intensely focused, sleeves rolled up past his elbows.

Because of him Sigma Pi's won the last three years running, and looking around at all the other works, Caroline sees no reason why that streak won't continue.

Caroline lacks much in the way of artistic talent, she'll be the first to admit, but tons of people show up every year, and she's always enjoyed herself before. Usually she'd be mingling, laughing with her friends and eating toasted pumpkin seeds. But she feels almost morose this year, unsettled.

And it's all Klaus' fault.

And okay. She'll admit that she's hardly an innocent, wronged party.

She's maybe a little embarrassed to admit that maybe her friends had a point, and she'd held his early behavior against him.

But he had been insufferable. His brother Elijah had been the president of his fraternity, basically guaranteeing Klaus an easy in, and he'd let everyone know it. He'd taken an interest in her immediately, at freshman orientation, and he had been very obvious about it.

Caroline might have been a teeny bit flattered, because he had been hot, and the accent had been very appealing.

They'd had lunch together, and he'd spent a fair amount of time glued to his phone, and Caroline had felt awkward, like she wasn't interesting enough. When he'd asked her out again, she'd turned him down, a little bit of her bitchy high-school persona coming out, in the not so nice way she'd done it.

He'd tried again, and she'd flatly rejected him a second time. He'd begun snapping back at her and eventually they'd slipped into a semi antagonistic relationship that occasionally slipped into flirting. She was still attracted to him, but had always told herself not to go there, because she'd convinced herself he was an uber dick.

Even if she'd seen little glimpses, throughout the years, that had made her think he could be more than that.

And one of those little glimpses might have been what had led her to kissing him last year. Caroline hadn't meant to take it further but it had just felt really, really good, the way he looked at her intoxicating, like he'd been afraid she'd disappear if he closed his eyes.

He glances up, catches her staring at him.

Caroline thinks about looking away, pretending she hadn't seen him, and going back to willfully ignoring him, like she had since classes had started in September.

But she doesn't want to.

So she throws him a wave, motions to his pumpkin, and gives him a grin and a thumbs up.

Klaus glances around him, as if he can't believe she means him.

Caroline feels a little pang of guilt, at his puzzled expression. Has she really been that cold?

Maybe Klaus was right, and they should talk.

_**T Minus 1 Day** _

Caroline feels like an idiot, standing on the front lawn of Klaus' frat house, throwing pebbles at the window of the room that she  _thinks_  belongs to him. She's never been up there, only had Kat's sketchy memory (one of her hazing tasks had been to sneak in and steal something that belonged to Elijah Mikaelson – one of his ties still decorated her bedpost) to go on.

She probably could have just texted him.

But she was here now, and she refused to chicken out.

She tosses another handful up, a little harder, wincing at the clinks they make when they hit the glass. Finally, a light flicks on, and the windows open. Klaus is there, poking his head out, looking sleepy and bewildered.

"Caroline? What are you…"

She cups her hands around her mouth, whisper-shouting, "Can you come down?"

He ducks back inside, and Caroline really hopes that's a yes, as she walks over to the front door, shifting nervously. It feels like ages, until he gets downstairs, and swings the door open, peering out at her cautiously. "Hi," Caroline says, "I know it's late but…"

Klaus puts a finger to his lips, gestures for her to come inside. He points upstairs, and Caroline nods, following him up, and through the hallways. He opens the door to what must be his room and lets her in ahead of him. He grabs a sweatshirt from a chair and hands it to her, "You look cold, love."

Caroline smiles gratefully, pulling it on, and then sitting gingerly on the edge of his bed, crossing her ankles, "Thanks. Sorry for just showing up. I couldn't sleep and I wanted to talk to you. I feel like things have gotten out of hand. With us."

Klaus expression shutters, "I see."

"I think I maybe overreacted, about the party, storming in here and throwing a tantrum," Caroline admits sheepishly, letting her hair fall in front of her face.

"I canceled the party," Klaus tells her. "Put Kol's overly large mouth to work, sent him and all the freshmen out to spread the word. Anyone who shows up here will be directed to your house."

Caroline looks up, startled, "You didn't have to do that, Klaus. It's just a party."

"But it's important to you," he says seriously.

"Oh," Caroline blinks up at him, feeling touched. And a little more convinced, that he really did like her. "Thank you. Would you, maybe, want to be my date?" Caroline asks shyly, testing the waters.

Klaus eyebrows furrow, "I'm a bit confused, love. You said things got out of hand and I'd assumed you meant," he waved his hand vaguely between the two of them.

Caroline shook her head, "I don't regret the sex, Klaus. Not last summer, not this week. I meant more the other stuff. I treated you a certain way that maybe wasn't fair to you. I kind of shudder a little to look back on what I was like my first couple of months here. I shouldn't hold your just out of high school self against you either."

"I was a bit of a twat," Klaus remarks, sitting down next to her.

"I'm not entirely sure what that means, but if you say so. I was really insecure, and kind of a bitch."

He grabs her hand and squeezes it reassuringly, "Why don't we just forget about all of it?" he offers hopefully.

Caroline nods, immediately, flipping her hand and tangling her fingers with his. "I'd like that," she says. She lifts her other hand, to smother a yawn, immediately after. She closes her eyes for a second, before turning to him, "You didn't answer my question," she says lightly, trying to sound casual.

"Yes," he answers. "I'll go with you."

She might be grinning like an idiot, but the expression on his face is equally thrilled, so she can't feel too bad.

"Great," Caroline says, before she turns away, yawning again. "I should get going."

"You could stay," Klaus offers, "just to sleep?"

Caroline glances back, at his very large, very comfortable looking bed, and then at the door, thinking about the long walk back to her house, in the cold.

It's a really easy choice.

She nods her agreement and then Caroline stands, toeing off her shoes, and wriggling out of her jeans. Klaus hits the lights, and pulls off his shirt, and they climb in on opposite sides of the bed, shifting to get comfortable.

She turns to face him, just able to make out his profile in the light spilling in from the window, "Night, Klaus."

He smiles, when he answers, "Goodnight, Caroline."

_**Halloween** _

Caroline wakes slowly, to an unfamiliar, though pleasant sensation, against her thigh. She reaches forward, to stretch her arms out, only to find there's something, someone, warm and solid and laughing in front of her, making it impossible. She cracks her eyes open to see Klaus staring at her, his eyes bright with amusement, "If I didn't know any better I'd say you were trying to push me out of my own bed, sweetheart."

She lifts her arms over her head, stretching with a groan, noting that it's Klaus' fingers, tracing over the bare skin of her thigh that had awoken her, and that she'd somehow hitched her leg over his hip in the night.

Might as well make the most of that.

Caroline gets an arm under her, uses her grip on him to roll him over, and sits up, straddling Klaus' waist. He doesn't seem the least bit upset with his new position, especially when she peels his sweatshirt, and everything she'd been wearing under it, up and over her head, shaking out her hair so it lays on her shoulders.

She probably looks terrible, but Klaus still looks up at her in wonder.

Klaus pulls himself up, palms smoothing down her bare back, "Good morning, Caroline," he mumbles against her shoulder, dropping a kiss there.

Caroline smirks, pushing him back down, leaning in until their lips are nearly brushing, "Happy Halloween, Klaus."


End file.
